¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ Commencement Ceremonies Las Vegas 2025
Listen to two podcast episodes celebrating UOPX graduates during Las Vegas 2025 commencement festivities
These two episodes of the Degrees of Success podcast visit the ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ commencement ceremonies in Las Vegas and feature four UOPX graduates.Â
Watch an recorded Sept. 26 and 27 at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, which hosted 4,361 graduates in two ceremonies.
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[Music]
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Patience with yourself is key.
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I feel proud.
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Just get after it.
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[Music]
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God always blesses me in a way where I
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always figure it out somewhere.
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Give yourself grace. At the end, you'll
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win.
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I'm not done yet. So, we'll be doing
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this again shortly.
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Plan. You got to have a plan.
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You really owe it to yourself. Don't
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give up.
Hear from two UOPX graduates during Las Vegas 2025 commencement festivities day one
On the , our host interviews UOPX graduates Derek Dominique Montgomery and Diana Ebai about their experiences.
Day 1 - ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ 2025 Las Vegas Commencement Interviews with graduates Derek Dominique Montgomery and Diana Ebai
Overcoming Adversity and Finding Motivation
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The easiest thing to do is give up.
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Sure.
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I can wake up and say, I don't want to this no more.
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Yeah.
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If you have an idea on what you want in life, which we all either have or have a thought of, just go do it.
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Yeah.
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Just go do it.
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The only person that can stop you is you.
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Yeah.
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We all come from different backgrounds, circumstances, things like that.
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I have all, I have issues too, just like everybody else.
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I have abandonment issues.
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have this and that, but that's not going to stop me.
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That's actually going to motivate me and go,
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Let me do this and then let me let my kids see me do this.
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I graduated with my master's, I had that emptiness.
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Because coming to the commencement, I remember watching all the doctorate students who graduated with a lot of admiration.
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And I actually walked up to one and I said, congratulations, Doc.
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And I shared contacts with her.
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I so wanted to graduate with my doctorate because I knew a doctorate degree opens opportunities for others to learn from you.
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So yes, I am super excited.
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Hello and welcome to a special episode of the Degrees of Success podcast.
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I'm Jack.
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You might recognize me from our TikTok and Instagram channels.
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And today I get the honor of being a guest host on this special edition of the podcast.
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That's right.
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We're here in Las Vegas, Nevada at the 2025 ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ commencement.
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I'm here with Derek Dominique Montgomery, who is graduating with his Bachelor of Psychology.
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Derek, how you doing?
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I'm good, I'm good.
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It's been a long morning but I'm here.
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Well, we're happy to have you here.
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Tell me a little bit how, you know, the lead up to today.
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How has this week been for you?
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I feel like the last two months have been the longest ever because initially I wasn't supposed to graduate until next April.
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Yeah.
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But then I added a couple more classes and I got a phone call that said if I can get everything done before July 29th, then I'll be able to be at the commencement today.
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And so I was taking five classes at one time for like two or three months straight.
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Dang.
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And working.
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So, OK, so work, get off work and
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have school from maybe four to like nine or ten.
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Wow.
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And yeah, it ends up, you know, getting that email saying you can register for commencement in Vegas.
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And yeah, this has been the longest two months.
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But yeah, I'm so glad it's here today.
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Well, we're so happy for you and just that you get us that we get to celebrate this moment with you today.
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it feels like you probably can breathe.
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Well, great.
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Well, we'd love to hear a little bit about your journey with just the ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½.
The Journey to Graduation: A Long Road
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Maybe start off with why the ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ and begin.
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it's this journey is a long journey, right?
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This isn't a regular four-year bachelor's degree journey my first initial Signing to the schools in 2011.
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Okay, was in the military.
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Okay, and when I was in the military You have questions like what are you gonna do after the military?
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Yeah, cuz I knew I had signed up for eight years So was like, what are you gonna do after this?
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and I knew I wanted to do psychology then
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but I also knew I knew what to do like early childhood development.
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was it was between those two.
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So then time kept going.
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I signed up for school in 2011.
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Goofed it off.
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Messing my GI bill up because it's just like not really taking classes serious.
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And at that time I was doing music.
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And so when I look at my transcript yesterday, said.
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Wow, the first, it says 2011 to 2025.
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So I am so grateful and thankful to even be here because this was 14 years coming.
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Wow.
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And I have more time because of grad school and stuff like that.
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However, I'm just thankful.
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It's been a long journey.
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And I got introduced to ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ just off of a commercial.
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Oh, really?
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The same way I got introduced to the military, being impulsive.
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I saw a military commercial and I was like.
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could be all I could be.
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So I went ahead and signed up and then ah one day I was looking at a commercial and the ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ came up and I said I should sign up.
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and I signed up and yeah this has probably been everyone at this school that I've talked to on the phone personally which I've talked to a million people because I you have to
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call financial all the time or academic or uh they always tell me I would get to this spot.
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Yeah.
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And I've had so many people help me get to this spot, especially in the last couple of months, knowing I was trying to push to get to this commencement.
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I don't know his last name, but his name Ryan over at.
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With academics and he helped so much, he called whoever he had to call at the commencement and said, hey, has all this credits.
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He just needs to do this and let him know.
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And then he called me back and said, hey, they're about to let you register.
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And so it has been just the greatest thing ever been here.
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That's awesome.
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it sounds like when you came back, you had 100 % support to get to this finish line.
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So what happened, I guess, or what clicked in you that was like, I need to really just get my stuff together and go for it.
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A Rick.
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OK, yeah.
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I was on my way to work and then I got into a horrible car accident and um that just changed everything because you think for sure in the moment you think you're going to die
The Importance of Family and Support
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or you don't know what's going on.
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just it was a bad moment.
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And the first thing I thought about was my kids.
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I thought about my daughter and my son.
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And I said, I have to do something else like.
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Music was my whole life.
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Songwriter was my whole life.
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And I was like, you have to do something else.
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You need to do something that's going to be not only beneficial for you, but beneficial for them in the long run and beneficial for other people.
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Like, you know, my career is in marriage and family therapy.
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watching couples make it in life or things like that is kind of what drives me to being a better person.
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And I remember that day I was in the hospital and I was just like.
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It's more, it has to be more of the life than this.
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And I think sometimes God, the universe, whatever you believe in, either send you a sign, if you don't see that sign, it'll make you feel the sign.
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And that was my make you feel the sign moment that's changed us up.
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oh I've had moments of phone conversations with my daughter's mom, my best friends, just everyone just like, hey, we know you love this.
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However, we see more in you as well.
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so, yeah, it's kind of how I ended up in this spot that I'm in today.
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Yeah, well, that's amazing.
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And that's really, really inspiring.
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So tell me a little bit about, I mean, we talk about how ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ students balance it all.
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Right.
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And so aside from school, what else do you got going on outside of that that you were also balancing?
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Work.
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I have to like I said, I have two kids.
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Yeah.
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Work.
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I work at a private school in Houston.
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OK.
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So you got to think about your work.
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It's about just a full time job.
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Right.
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Then you have to you're in school full time.
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Yeah.
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So it's it's definitely.
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I can understand why some people don't finish because it was days where I was just like, how am I?
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I'm like, didn't sleep.
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Yeah.
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Especially when you look up and you need a five page paper in this or it's a 20 slide presentation.
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Sure.
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But they want you to narrate it.
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So so now you're like, wait, I to do the presentation and I have to talk and I have to edit this and I don't have enough storage on my phone.
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And I'm kind of going through one thing after the other.
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So now I'm like, I got to delete this app, delete this app, delete this.
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So it's just.
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It's demanding, but I think everything in life that you want is demanding.
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Sure.
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So you want to put the work in or you want to complain about it.
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And I had nights of complaining to myself.
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Sure.
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But I was never going to quit.
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Yeah.
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Like that was never going to happen.
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I just use things as motivation.
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And yeah, I'm here today.
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Yeah.
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So you speak of motivation.
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A lot of students try and figure out what their why is, right?
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What's that why that keeps us going through those challenging times?
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What would that have been for you?
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It's a couple of us.
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Yeah, my kids.
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I have a 15 year old son that's looking at me.
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He's now in the engineer program and his high school.
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I have my seven year old daughter.
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I have my little brother that just started college last month that's going to school to be a veterinarian.
Pursuing a Career in Psychology and Therapy
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That's my wife, my grandmother that's 92.
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And she just wanted to see me graduate.
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Yeah.
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So.
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I'm the second person in my family to graduate.
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Wow.
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So she's looking at this like, you know, and her birthday is next month.
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So she's she was so excited.
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Leaving, watching me leave the house yesterday.
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She was just crying up a storm.
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I was like, all right, that's enough.
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I get it.
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You've been crying for the last two weeks.
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But those are my wives, my mama, which is the strongest.
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Oh, my God, the strongest woman I've ever met in my life.
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Salado wise man.
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Yeah, myself.
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Most people don't get themselves credited or say they could be.
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I want to be what I didn't have.
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Right.
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I didn't grow up with a father in the house.
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don't know who my dad is.
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Yeah.
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So I want to be that for my kids.
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I want to be just that's it's a lot of wise man.
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And the thought of being a great husband one day is a why to me.
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When I look at these couples and I see things, I'm like, OK, one day I'm going to be.
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Not in this situation where you guys are needing me.
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However, you know, counseling, I tell people you should go there even if you don't need counseling.
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Sure.
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We all need to just talk to someone.
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Just the awareness, right?
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And getting things out there.
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Yeah, absolutely.
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speaking of kind of counseling and that realm, so Bachelor of Psychology and we're gonna do a Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy.
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um So what excites you about that journey?
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There's nothing like watching two people figure it out.
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Of course, they come in and it's that issues that have problems, they have this, that and the third.
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But them figuring it out.
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Man, that's.
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It's amazing that.
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I haven't been the greatest in relationships.
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I don't always say the right things.
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I haven't always done the right things.
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There's things I.
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A thousand things I could have done better.
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Sure.
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Right.
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um However, when I see couples that come in to the office or things like that, you're like, they're trying.
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Yeah.
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The first step in anything is just trying.
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And if I see someone's trying, I just want to be there to assist.
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And so, yeah, this has been something I've been the friend that all my friends call and ask advice for forever.
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Yeah.
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And all my friends are married.
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Like all my friends are married.
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So I'm the one that like, hey, and I don't give bias opinion.
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I'm not like, hey, well, she should know.
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I'm like, no, you shouldn't say that in that situation.
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Yeah.
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Maybe you should do this.
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Right.
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Right.
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And it's no better feeling than your friend calling you the next day said, I did what you told me to do last night.
Transformative Experiences in Education
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We had the greatest night ever.
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And I'm just like, there you go.
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That's that's my purpose.
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Yes.
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Yes.
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That kind of feeds my quote unquote ego.
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We all have ego.
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So we need to feed it in some type of way.
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Yeah.
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Mine is helping.
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people.
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Well, others is it's kind of like a way to feed your soul, right?
12:21
For sure.
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And I as someone with a background in marriage and family therapy as a therapist, I can totally relate to what you're saying and seeing that transformation in people uh when that
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occurs and just I don't know this aha moment or I don't this like light that yeah, you know, just is so overwhelming and empowering same thing for you going through this degree,
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right?
12:43
It's a transformation that has occurred, right?
12:45
Yeah.
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And
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Yeah, a lot of times I'd say, I think this can apply to graduates as well, but in therapy, know, a lot of times I'd say, if you are not ready, willing or wanting to change, it's not
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gonna work out.
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so I think same thing for a graduate, right?
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It's gonna require that fight in you.
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But then you get to this point and you're like, it was worth
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And it gets to a spot where like let's say today, you're like, I could do anything.
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You know, like, yeah, going to school and graduating is not easy.
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Yeah.
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You know, like high school.
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OK, you kind of have your parent waking you up and telling you, let's go here or take you to school or whatever the situation is.
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Right.
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Now, you know, don't.
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And then when you get to like our age where you're going back to school, that takes another level of discipline.
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You know, it's not nobody waking you up.
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It's not nobody asking you, did you finish your homework?
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It's not nobody asking you.
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Did you do your discussion questions?
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Right.
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Which are due, I feel like every day.
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But yeah, so it's just about helping.
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It's just about helping.
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There's no better feeling of looking at two people sit next to each other and you say something and then they think about it and they look at each other and just like, I never
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thought about it like that.
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And you can see the ease.
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kind of come down, no, it's not gonna fix all the issues.
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However, in that moment, that I don't know if I can do this, don't know if I love you, kind of takes a backseat.
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Now it's like, well, if I incorporate this, maybe I can do this.
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And so that's just what I'm here to kind of guide.
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Exactly.
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Well, I can tell already you're going to be a great therapist and counselor.
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So that's amazing.
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I wish you the best of luck on that journey.
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And I'm really excited to see your journey continue here with your masters.
14:43
uh Now, if you had any advice that you would give to maybe someone who's just starting their educational journey, what would that be?
Advice for Future Students
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Don't give up.
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I know it sounds cliche.
14:58
That's like the most cliche thing somebody could say is don't give up.
15:00
But I promise you everything is.
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I promise you now it's never going to feel or look the way you think it's going to look or feel.
15:08
Sure.
15:09
Why are you doing it?
15:09
Or once you even get there.
15:10
Yeah.
15:11
But when you get there.
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Sorry.
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I crying a bit.
15:13
um But when you get there, it.
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When you get there, because you're going to get there.
15:24
Sure.
15:24
So if I had to look at somebody, you're going to get there.
15:26
Mm Just don't give up.
15:28
Yeah.
15:28
You're going to get there is going to take some sleepless nights is going to come with maybe not talking to people as much or you can't go out as much or you don't know.
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Maybe you don't know how you're going to pay for school.
15:40
Right.
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A lot of things that can happen, but you're going to get there.
15:43
Yeah.
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Now, the easiest thing to do is give up.
15:47
Sure.
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I can wake up and say, I don't do this no more.
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Yeah.
15:49
But if you have
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Idea on what you want a life which we all either have or have a thought of right?
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Just go do it.
15:59
Yeah, just go do it.
16:01
The only only person that can stop you is you yeah We all come from different background circumstances things like that whether it's I have all I have issues too.
16:09
Just like everybody else.
16:10
I have abandonment issues I have this and that and but that's not gonna stop me.
16:14
It's actually gonna motivate me and go Let me do this
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And then let me let my kids see me do this and let me so.
16:25
Yeah, sorry, about the choke me up in here, man.
Celebrating Achievements and Gratitude
16:29
You're good.
16:29
Yeah.
16:31
Well, that's great.
16:31
Well, thank you for joining us today on the podcast.
16:34
We really enjoyed hearing your story and we are so excited for you.
16:38
Thank you so much.
16:39
I want to say thank you.
16:42
Go ahead.
16:42
Yeah, one like literally.
16:44
I don't know what camera I'm at right now.
16:46
I'm right here.
16:47
OK, so first of all, I want to say thank you to all the staff at ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½.
16:53
Every single person that has listened to me, then talk, ask a million questions, call back 30 times through the week, asking this than a third.
17:03
Just everything.
17:05
I don't know everybody's name.
17:07
but everybody deserves a raise.
17:08
And I don't know how that works, but give everybody a raise.
17:11
And I want to thank everybody that's here for the degrees of success.
17:14
And I want to say congratulations to all the graduates and congratulations to my mama for having me.
17:23
Beautiful.
17:24
uh Well, thank you, Derek.
17:26
Thank you.
17:27
We're here now with Dr.
17:29
Diana, who will be receiving her Doctor of Management today from the ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½.
17:34
Dr.
17:34
Diana, Diana, how are doing?
17:37
Good, good.
17:38
How are you feeling today specifically?
17:41
I feel really great.
17:42
I feel overwhelmed.
17:44
I feel excited.
17:45
I mean, there's a whole lot just in one thought.
17:48
It's excitement and success.
17:50
So I feel really great.
17:52
uh
17:52
I love it.
17:53
Now, you had graduated with your MBA in 2011 and then 2025 this year with your doctor of management.
18:00
Is there a different feeling this time around?
18:03
What's it like?
18:04
Yes, there's a different feeling because I'm not just graduating.
18:10
I'm becoming a doctor.
18:14
Sure, absolutely.
18:15
adds a whole lot of substance to it.
18:17
And if you know who a doctor is, then you know how I feel.
18:20
Yes.
18:20
Well, when I graduated with my master's, I had that emptiness because coming to the commencement, I remember watching all the doctorate students who graduated with a lot of
18:32
admiration.
18:32
And I actually walked up to one and I said, congratulations, dog.
18:36
And I shared contacts with her.
18:39
I so wanted to graduate with my doctorate because I knew
18:44
a doctoral degree opens opportunities for others to learn from you.
18:48
So yes, I am super excited.
18:51
Now was that the moment that you decided to go for your doctorate degree or has that always been the plan?
18:58
Well, education has been at the forefront of everything I do.
19:02
I know back in the day I never had a lot, but I did believe that education would propagate me to the place where I want to be.
19:09
Yes, I wanted to have the highest degree I could have.
19:12
And of course, that's a doctorate.
19:14
Yeah.
19:15
Yeah.
19:15
So it was a long plan coming.
19:17
Yeah, well that's great.
19:18
So tell us a little bit about your journey with the ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½.
19:22
So why the ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ and how that planned out.
The Impact of Education on Community
19:26
sure.
19:26
¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ for sure.
19:28
It's one unique institution that has served my needs.
19:32
I remember when I came to the US, I was looking for a school.
19:36
My long term goal when I was growing up is to become a politician.
19:41
Funny, right?
19:43
That's great!
19:45
But I'm doing politics somehow in a low capacity.
19:49
So I wanted to be a politician.
19:51
But when I got here and I got my first job as a server and when I was working, I saw myself earning what?
19:57
$2 and 13 cents.
19:59
And I said to myself, when am I ever going to move from this stage to a stage where this person who owns this restaurant got there?
20:08
And I said, but what if I learn business?
20:11
What if I switch my thought process to business?
20:15
I did a little research and I said, okay, business administration might just be the answer to my uh quest.
20:22
And I came home, one of those days tired, just watching TV and bam, there was an ad for ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ for working adults.
20:32
What more was I looking for?
20:34
And so the next day I made a call and that was the best call I ever made.
20:40
And that this was what year was this about?
20:43
This was in 2010, 2011.
20:47
Yes.
20:48
Wow.
20:48
And so you mentioned, you know, moving to the States.
20:51
So um originally from Cameroon, West Africa.
20:55
So what um what brought you over?
20:57
Tell us a little bit about that.
20:59
Yes, I came to meet my husband.
21:02
Okay.
21:02
Yes.
21:02
oh I came to meet my husband so we could, of course, grow a family and face life together.
21:09
Okay, and now have any kids right now?
21:11
Three kids, okay.
21:14
are they feeling seeing their mom today?
21:16
Oh!
21:18
They are feeling great.
21:20
Sure.
21:21
They are super proud of mom.
21:23
Yeah.
21:24
And they are my inspiration every day.
21:26
Yeah.
21:26
Yeah.
21:26
I remember that my first residency, my son, my 14 year old now was just, how?
21:35
He was just a couple of months.
21:36
Yeah.
21:37
When I started that program and I went for my first residency.
21:41
I remember the feeling leaving my son behind just to go for my residency.
21:45
I remember how emotional it was.
21:47
I cried all through, but hey, he kept me going.
21:52
even over the years as it passed by, I said to myself, if I had to make that sacrifice back in the day for that, then I should finish this journey.
22:00
So they are my inspiration and I'm glad I finally did.
22:04
Oh, I love it.
22:05
That's great.
22:05
So it sounds like you said they're your motivation, they're your why, I would assume.
22:12
with your, uh you know, we think about the future, what we're going to do with these degrees when we have them.
22:18
So tell me a little bit about maybe what you're currently doing now that is uh either related to your doctoral degree and maybe what you plan to do in the future.
22:28
Sure.
22:28
Well, I'm glad that ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ gave me new meaning.
22:32
I would say new lease of life.
22:34
Yeah.
22:34
Because I'm a doctor and I'm an entrepreneur in so many diverse forms.
22:40
I am a real estate agent.
22:43
I am into banking.
22:46
I am into nonprofit.
22:48
Again, I specialize in nonprofit because I was so convinced that there's a need to find out why nonprofits feel the very people that need them most.
22:58
I remember that one time I went to a nonprofit to seek for help and right about I'm at the door trying to get help when they had screened me and said, you can come and get some
23:08
help.
23:08
But on that day, on the door, I saw what we ran out of funds.
23:14
That was the day I said,
23:16
If I'm doing my doctorate, I should study the world of nonprofit.
23:20
And I'm glad to say today, I have nonprofits doing different things.
23:26
I have nonprofits that is trying to help the community through social education.
23:31
I have a university.
23:33
I'm helping the underprivileged kids to get a better education.
23:37
I have a nonprofit that helps those who have newly immigrated to the United States to know what and where they should go.
Navigating Challenges in Education
23:44
I have a non-profit where I help women to learn about financial stability, financial independence, and grow in their different spheres of life.
23:54
So yes, ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ has helped to impact me, where I am also impacting a lot of people.
24:00
Yeah, my goodness, is there anything you can't do?
24:07
I think I can climb a mountain.
24:08
I hate heights.
24:09
Hey, I don't know.
24:11
I'm just saying everything you could, I bet you could.
24:14
But that's incredible.
24:16
So thank you for sharing that.
24:17
So thinking about other alumni or just uh new students going on there, whether it be a doctoral journey or just a bachelor or master's, what advice would you give to them uh
24:31
that maybe could have helped you when you were starting out?
24:36
Well, I would say go back when it's tough, because I wouldn't sit here and sugarcoat it.
24:43
That is going to be all sweet and tasty all through the journey.
24:49
No, they're going to be tough times.
24:51
But when they come, I will say seek the counsel of your academic advisors.
24:57
They are a very great resource.
24:59
They've been helpful for me.
25:01
And over time,
25:03
I am seeing that ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ is implementing the notion of mentors and mentees.
25:10
Make use of them.
25:11
There's a website for that.
25:13
Go there, get yourself registered.
25:15
And for those who have graduated, offer your services.
25:18
¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ has done a lot.
25:20
Why don't you do the same?
25:22
I'm mentoring a couple of students and I love doing it.
25:25
So please, when it's tough to not give up, we are here.
25:30
Mentors are out.
25:31
We have academic advisors.
25:33
They will be able to walk you through.
25:35
I remember talking to a student who was going through a very hard time.
25:39
said, well, I'm really stressed.
25:41
I think I can't do it anymore.
Final Thoughts and Acknowledgments
25:42
I said, no, you can do it.
25:45
The answers are right around you.
25:47
Take a deep breath.
25:48
Look at where you've come from.
25:49
I don't think you want to let go.
25:51
So if you think of where you came from and what you're expecting to get to, there's need for you to move forward.
25:58
So they should always take a deep breath and seek for help.
26:01
Yeah.
26:02
Help us always stay with ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½.
26:04
ah
26:05
Love it.
26:06
So speaking of, you know, the challenges that we encounter during our educational journey, what were those challenges for you and how did you overcome them?
26:15
academically, there were times that courses were challenging, but I reached out to my instructors privately.
26:23
And it's not what you say, but how you say it.
26:26
When I reached out to my instructors, they were willing and they scheduled extra sessions and most of the time video sessions where we could interact.
26:35
I remember one of my instructors who kept up with me, will call me, made a schedule to call me every week.
26:40
And again, this is absolutely free.
26:42
So thanks to ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ that created such a great platform.
26:46
Yeah, yeah.
26:47
Well, I'd love to just open it up to you in case there's anything else you want to say or anyone you want to thank today for getting you here, supporting you through the floor is
26:58
yours.
26:59
Yes.
27:00
Um, I want to give a special thanks to my husband, my darling, sweetheart.
27:06
Um, being here today is a testament of love because he stood by me at every time.
27:13
Just when I said, well, I think it's about time for me to let go.
27:18
I said, look at it, honey, we are doing fine.
27:20
We have a couple of companies.
27:22
We're helping people.
27:23
So why do we need it?
27:25
He said, you do need it.
27:26
You cannot be a quitter.
27:28
You need to finish.
27:29
So I want to thank my husband and I thank the Almighty for giving us grace, for giving us great health to move together up to this stage.
27:38
I thank my kids too who have been with me and my family as a whole.
27:42
But more importantly, I want to thank the ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ that gave us a platform, that gave us this foundation.
27:50
And the instructors are awesome.
27:53
Yes, they are difficult times, but how we navigate it is what matters.
27:58
So I'm grateful for the institution.
28:00
Beautiful.
28:01
Well, thank you for joining us today on the podcast.
28:03
was a pleasure getting to know you more.
28:05
And we're just so happy for you and can't wait to celebrate with you in the ceremony.
28:10
So.
28:10
Thank you so much.
28:12
enjoyed my time here and thank you.
28:14
That brings us to the end of this episode of degrees of success here in Las Vegas, Nevada at the 2025 ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ commencement.
28:21
Don't forget to like, subscribe and leave your comments.
28:23
And don't forget to follow UOPX on TikTok and Instagram.
28:27
I'm Jack and we'll see you next time on degrees of success.
Inspiring stories from two UOPX graduates during Las Vegas 2025 commencement festivities day two
Two graduates from , Ana Perez and Lucia Ananos, sit in the guest chair to talk about realizing their dreams, with some special advice to students.
Day 2 - ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ 2025 Las Vegas Commencement Interviews with graduates Ana Perez and Lucia Ananos
A Dream Realized: The Journey Begins
0:00
Today is a dream come true.
0:01
¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ made today happen for me.
0:05
And I really, really appreciate that.
0:08
And of course, you I always have to give God glory.
0:12
But for the people that don't know Him, that's fine.
0:15
But ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½, I want them to keep doing what they're doing because today is a dream come true.
0:22
There were so many times where I didn't show up, but the second that I logged in and I looked at the assignment, I said, well, just start writing.
0:28
You can fix it later.
0:30
I start writing and then I was like, I could, I can do better.
0:32
I can fix this.
0:34
I'll do better.
0:34
So I think just being, just showing up to show up for whatever it is, whether it's school or work.
0:40
half the battle.
0:46
Hello and welcome back to day two of this special episode on the degrees of success podcast.
0:51
We're here in Las Vegas, Nevada to celebrate the 2025 ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ commencement.
0:56
are here with Ana Perez.
0:58
Ana, how are you doing?
1:00
Good, it's good to have you here.
1:02
Thank you.
1:03
How has it been leading up to today?
1:06
It's been good.
1:06
It's been a good journey.
1:09
I don't want to use the word stressful.
1:11
um It was very challenging, but it was worth it.
1:15
I'm really excited.
1:17
Well, I'm excited to just dive into your story a little bit more.
1:20
So, you know, I read a little bit about you and you've said that it's taken over 34 years really to get to this point.
1:26
And you have earned your Bachelor of Science in Management with an HR certificate back in 2021.
1:32
That was, you know, during COVID.
1:33
And so you couldn't attend graduation then.
1:36
But then today you're graduating with your Master of Management.
Overcoming Challenges: A Personal Story
1:41
Yes.
1:41
How I mean, what incredible feat.
1:43
So tell me about your journey and the whole process.
1:46
So it started in 88 when I graduated from high school.
1:50
All my friends, you know, they all went, started going to college and I kept hearing this thing about college, college.
1:57
so I did land a very, very good job.
2:00
um with the county where I was living.
2:03
And so I had that opportunity and I took it.
2:06
And then as I was looking through my career path to see what it was that I really enjoyed doing, I noticed everything needed a bachelor's degree.
2:14
And so back then when you wanted to apply for either, know, uh I don't want to say management, but just a promotion, everything required a bachelor's or an associate's.
2:24
And so I tried my associate's.
2:27
took one class at City College and
2:29
I took one class here and there, but back then you had to be in person and I had to work to help my parents who were both not well and health.
2:40
So I decided to keep working and to help them.
2:44
So I would just take one class at a time.
2:46
And then I finally, you know, I met my spouse and I got married and I just had to stop everything.
2:54
And then I raised my two kids and then...
2:57
During that time, I did mention I went through a divorce and I landed my job with my big district um as an HR specialist.
3:07
And when I was there, I waited until I was done with probation and I fell in love with working with people and supporting and doing what I was doing.
3:16
So I looked up some universities and I looked up ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½.
3:23
I called them and it just, we connected.
3:27
and the people that I got to help me find that degree with what I was sharing with my work experience and my journey.
3:36
I met with my academic advisor.
3:39
He was amazing.
3:40
He walked me right through the process.
3:42
And before you knew it, I was online taking my classes and I went straight through without a break except for the Christmas break for three and a half years.
3:51
oh day I did homework, homework, homework and I worked a full time job.
3:56
The beauty of it was that when my family asked me to go on trips with them, I carried my laptop everywhere.
4:03
So that led up to my bachelor's and then COVID hit.
4:08
And I was supposed to finish that February, I believe it was, but we postponed it for that one year.
4:16
uh What I loved about ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ was it didn't feel so burdened.
4:21
Like I was working and I didn't feel like I was so stressed over it.
4:25
exams and assignments.
4:27
was just, it was good.
4:29
It was a good experience.
4:30
And so then I graduated, I took a break and I just kept feeling like I needed to go back for my masters.
4:38
And to backtrack a little bit, once I got my bachelor's in 2022, 2021, I took that break and I kept working really, really hard.
4:49
And then I transferred over to another department and
4:53
I felt it was time to use my degree.
4:55
That was the whole purpose of my thinking was I got my bachelor's, I need to use it.
5:01
So I started applying for HR director positions and I landed three of them.
5:06
And so, and it was my degree.
5:09
They kept saying, do you have your bachelor's?
5:11
I said, my bachelor's is from UOP with my HR certification.
5:15
And so I had three offers or three...
5:20
three jobs and then two offers and then I ended up becoming an HR director.
5:24
Yes.
5:25
And then um I helped that district and I still felt that sometimes in life you need that change and inside of you, you start talking to yourself, okay, where do I go from here?
5:36
What else do I do?
5:37
I need a challenge.
5:38
I need something.
5:40
And so I kept praying about it and I kept feeling that inner voice talking to me saying, get your masters, get your masters.
5:46
I'm thinking.
5:47
my goodness, how long is that gonna take?
5:49
I don't think I wanna do three and a half years.
5:52
anyways, it took about four months.
5:56
I kept struggling with that.
5:58
And I kept saying, okay, God, if you really want me to do this, then show me where you want me to do it.
6:04
Because I was really struggling with it.
6:07
Like, I don't know if I wanted to go back to school and spend all those hours while working as an HR director.
6:15
So I had another opportunity to move to a small district to help build that the HR department in the central coast.
6:23
And so when I got hired, I was renting a room from a friend because I had to move relocate and I kept laying in bed thinking I need my masters, I need my masters.
6:34
And it didn't, I didn't need it for my position, but again, it was just that inner voice.
The Value of Education: Degrees and Opportunities
6:42
So I did rear away from you.
6:45
and I went with other universities and I called and I tried to find the right program.
6:51
Yeah, yeah.
6:52
And it just didn't feel right.
6:54
Didn't feel.
6:54
As soon as I called ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½, I got a lady named Jamie, I don't remember her last name, an academic advisor.
7:02
She was amazing.
7:03
Yeah.
7:04
And she connected me.
7:05
And I went back to ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ and here I am today.
7:09
Wow.
7:10
Wow, that's amazing.
7:12
so a master of management, why that degree versus the other master programs?
7:17
It's very broad as to what I can do with it.
7:21
So I didn't want a specific degree like human resources, masters of human resources.
7:30
I noticed that the masters of management that ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ offers, it has different business classes, but it also has HR.
7:40
And so in the future, if I want to...
7:44
come out of education and go into the private sector.
7:47
I have that business, education, the background.
7:52
When looking at the programs with ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½, they're really broad as to you get this master's, it's not just a career-based degree, you can do a lot with it.
8:04
so, Master's of Management fits more of my career path.
8:08
Perfect.
8:09
Now, can you tell us a little bit about the difference of the bachelors versus the masters um and what was that experience like?
8:18
So I didn't see a big difference.
8:20
I really didn't.
8:21
The only difference that I seen with the bachelors from the masters was the bachelors took a long time.
8:29
It just felt like it was never ending.
8:31
As far as the classes, they're about the same.
8:35
They're online.
8:36
You do the discussion.
8:38
You do the interaction with your instructor, your professor, your classmates.
8:44
I didn't really see a big difference.
8:46
I think the Master's, to be honest with you, was easier than the Bachelor's for some reason.
8:51
And I can't pinpoint why.
8:53
Maybe because I had so much going on during my Bachelor's that it just seemed like I was juggling more than I was with my Master's.
9:01
But as far as the courses and the timeline and getting it completed, I felt like the Master's was easier.
9:09
definitely manageable.
9:10
Okay.
9:11
So you know, you mentioned you had a lot going on as you're earning your degrees.
9:15
Can you tell us a little bit about those challenges that you faced and how did you get through those?
9:20
So I went through a divorce and then I was first time single parent after 17 years.
9:27
my kids were a little older, but I still had my youngest.
9:30
He was still young.
9:31
And I'd never been on my own.
9:35
I married young, I didn't know what to do.
9:38
And so I landed that job in HR.
9:42
And during the time that I was getting my bachelor's, we had...
9:48
My dad got sick.
9:49
um He also had cancer and my son had a motorcycle accident.
9:56
um We almost lost him.
9:58
And during that time I was right at the end of my bachelor's degree.
10:04
And I just kept telling myself, this has happened to me in the future.
10:10
Every time I started, it would be something.
10:13
again, I
10:17
I pray a lot, so I kept praying, asking God, help me get through this because I really want to accomplish this.
10:26
And during those challenges, I remember my biggest challenge was I was right at the end.
10:32
The other challenges, moving out of my home, trying to find a place for my kids and I to live, trying to, well, I left my job after 10 years, really good paying job because I had
10:43
to
10:44
moved back closer to home to get my oldest through graduation, because it all happened during the time when he was in his senior year.
10:52
And I didn't want him to have to feel all the changes.
10:55
So I made the changes for him.
10:58
And so I came back home.
11:00
And um during that time, I felt like I'd been through so much.
11:06
And now I was right at the end.
11:09
And then my son has this accident.
11:11
And I just felt like
11:13
Okay, if I need to stop, I need to stop.
11:16
But that's not what I felt.
11:17
I felt that I needed to have that strength and that courage to keep going and overcome those obstacles because every time I would have a challenge, I would step back and I would
11:29
wait and I would rest.
11:31
But this time I felt like,
11:33
then my whole life is gonna be this way and I won't be able to get to where I'm going because I knew my kids would be here one day where they're older, they're young adults and
11:42
they'd be on their own.
11:44
And I thought, I've been there for my whole family all my life, when's it gonna be my time?
11:49
And I wasn't being selfish.
11:51
I just felt like I needed to gain that inner strength and not give up.
Finding Strength in Adversity
11:58
And so during the time that my son was in the hospital,
12:02
It was in 2020.
12:04
It was right before COVID hit.
12:06
And right when I was at the end of my bachelor's.
12:09
And I just kept going.
12:11
I just said, I'm going to keep going.
12:14
And so while he was resting, I would do my homework and a lot of sleepless nights, but I knew it would be worth it.
12:22
And so that was one challenge.
12:25
And then, or out of many, and then during my master's,
12:31
My sister just recently got diagnosed um with cancer and you know, I, this doesn't run in our family.
12:39
So it was a shock.
12:41
And so I promised her that I would be very flexible with my job in my school to be there for her at the beginning.
12:48
She's doing amazing right now.
12:50
And I thank God for that.
12:52
She's doing really, really well.
12:54
And so I told myself, here we go.
12:59
I said, but we can do this.
13:00
We're four months away.
13:02
We can do this.
13:03
And so I told her, says, I'll be here for you.
13:08
And so as my niece is driving us to go get her treatments, I'm in the back plugging into my hotspot, getting my homework done as fast as I can.
Messages of Resilience: Inspiring the Next Generation
13:17
So then when she's done, I can go to lunch.
13:19
I can spend time with her.
13:21
And then I stayed the night with her several times and it was about 11 o'clock at night.
13:27
I'd grab my laptop and start threading.
13:29
Because I do it right before midnight, so it would count for that day instead of the next day.
13:35
so that's my story.
13:38
Wow, that's incredible.
13:40
Thank goodness, you know, for the flexibility, right?
13:43
Yes.
13:44
the ability to do that with an online degree.
13:46
uh you know, you mentioned just the impact your kids have had on you with this whole process and journey in mind.
13:56
What are the messages, right?
13:59
What message do you want to send to them with this experience?
14:03
When you really, really want something and you really want to make your dream come true, you are going to reach challenges and things that you're going to face in life.
14:15
The most important thing is to keep your priorities where they need to be.
14:21
With all that, when you have your priorities right, everything else will follow.
14:27
And I do believe that
14:30
with everything that I've been through because there's so much more in between, I have to give credit to ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½.
14:39
They mean so much to me only because I remember reaching out to my academic advisors.
14:45
I reached out to James, I reached out to JR and say, there an easier way?
14:51
Is there any way I can overcome this?
14:53
This is happening.
14:54
And those are the in-between that people don't know.
14:56
And they just kept saying,
14:59
Yeah, let's look and see what we can support you.
15:01
And then they would offer a leave of absence or they would give me options that we don't know that are available to us as a ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ student.
15:11
So my message that I do send out to not just my kids, but my friends, my family and any other future ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ student is no matter what we face, you got to keep
15:23
going.
15:25
Not everybody has faith in God.
15:28
But there is an energy that we have to reach out to, to help us.
15:33
I know I'm a strong believer, and so I did that.
15:38
I reached out and I asked God, help me, help me get through this.
15:43
And it's that inner strength He gives us to keep going.
15:46
So, whoever out there is in this same journey, because we all have a story, not the same, but we all have a story, is just keep going, just keep
15:57
going with that dream come true, find the right support system, find the right people.
Honoring Legacy: A Tribute to Loved Ones
16:04
If you have someone that's just very negative, do it the right way.
16:09
Just say, okay, thank you, but no thank you.
16:12
And just keep going.
16:14
Just find that and make that dream come true.
16:18
Because today, I get emotional because if you knew everything,
16:26
Today is a dream come true.
16:28
¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ made today happen for me.
16:32
And I really, really appreciate that.
16:35
And of course, you I always have to give God glory.
16:39
But for the people that don't know Him, that's fine.
16:42
But ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½, I want them to keep doing what they're doing because today is a dream come true.
16:49
Yeah, thank you so much.
16:52
What a powerful message that is.
16:53
And I just love the takeaway, at least for me, was, you know, to surround yourself with positive influences, whether that be spirituality or people or just, you know, your
17:04
environment in general and let those lift you during those challenging times just to make that burden, you know, that struggle a little bit lighter.
17:11
So love that.
17:12
Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us today.
17:15
was a pleasure getting to know you.
17:16
And congratulations on graduating.
17:19
you.
17:19
you.
17:19
Thank you for having me.
17:20
I really appreciate it.
17:21
Thank you so much.
17:23
I have Lucia Ananos here with us today who's graduating with her master's in criminal justice.
17:30
How are doing Lucia?
17:32
Good, good.
17:33
Well, it's such a pleasure to have you here.
17:35
We're excited to hear a little bit more about your story.
17:38
Yeah.
17:39
So can you share a little bit about, I know you earned your bachelor's and your master's with us.
17:43
Can you share?
17:44
So I earned my bachelor's over at ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ in Costa Mesa location, California.
17:49
It was a great experience.
17:51
I had a lot of classmates.
17:53
My bachelor's was in criminal justice, so a lot of my classmates were in law enforcement.
17:57
It was a great experience.
17:58
The teachers were amazing.
17:59
So I had a great time there.
18:00
And then I just decided to push on and go for my master's here.
18:05
And I did that online.
18:07
Had some great teachers as well.
18:08
So I really appreciate ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½.
18:11
They've kind of been a family now.
18:13
that and can you share a little bit about how the university has shaped kind of your career path?
18:19
Sure.
18:20
um in law enforcement, it's not required to get a degree, but it really helps and it facilitates conversations and um networking, if you will.
18:30
um So the ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ degree really helped shape how I articulated myself um in meetings, in briefings, even in report writing.
18:40
So I would write a lot of reports and I think it just helped um navigate that kind of achievement, if you will.
18:47
So it definitely helped my career in that sense.
18:50
So I really appreciate that from ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½.
18:54
Yeah, love it, love it.
18:55
So, you know, a lot of students face challenges, struggles throughout their degree journey.
19:01
uh And we know you've had your fair share.
19:04
So we also have a guest with us today.
19:06
Would you mind sharing a little bit about him?
19:09
Of course.
19:10
um So my husband had, was in his, he was doing his bachelor's when I first met him.
19:16
So um he finished his bachelor's right when the end of the shutdown.
19:24
So he wasn't able to walk.
19:25
So my husband's name is Johnny Aguano.
19:28
um My favorite Spaniard.
19:32
And he.
19:33
was so proud of getting his bachelor's because uh his boss, Terry, really influenced him to go to school.
19:40
And as he climbed the ladder, he was a regional, he was a district manager.
19:44
And as a manager, you really needed your degree to facilitate, again, conversations and writing emails and such.
The Power of Showing Up: Advice for Students
19:52
So his boss was a big, a big component to him pushing to get his degree.
19:56
So, unfortunately, my husband passed away unexpectedly December 8th, 2024.
20:03
And I was two classes away from finishing my master's and I actually started class, I think on the 12th of December.
20:09
And of course, um my counselor was very understanding.
20:14
He said, would you like to take a break?
20:15
And I said, no, I'm gonna do this in honor of my husband.
20:19
I'm gonna push forward.
20:20
um I'm gonna be strong and I'm gonna finish.
20:24
So it was hard.
20:26
There was honestly days where I thought I was like, I just need to quit.
20:30
I just need to stop.
20:31
But I took a breath.
20:32
took a beat and just focused and finished.
20:36
So I'm glad that I finished my master's and I'm glad that the university is letting me walk for my husband to get his bachelor's today and get mine.
20:46
So I feel like I don't really have any new memories with him.
20:50
I won't have any new memories with him.
20:52
But today, today I will have a new memory and I'm very, excuse me.
21:00
And I'm very grateful for that because
21:03
If you think about it, we could buy anything.
21:06
We could facilitate anything.
21:08
We're in a society now where we could have anything in a drop of a hat.
21:13
But could we make a new memory with someone who's passed away?
21:18
We can't, right?
21:19
At least not yet.
21:20
So I'm very grateful that ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ is giving me this opportunity to honor my husband today.
21:25
So thank you.
21:27
Yeah, well, that's beautiful.
21:28
Well, I'm sure he's extremely proud of you for pushing through and yeah, definitely here with you in spirit as well.
21:37
So, yeah.
21:39
Well, thank you for sharing that story with us.
21:41
Really touching and inspiring.
21:42
So can you share a piece of advice you could give to fellow students who maybe are just starting out on their journey?
21:49
Absolutely.
21:50
I think the biggest thing would be showing up, whether it's online or to class.
21:56
think, I mean, in life, that's half the battle, right?
21:58
Like if we don't show up, then you've already failed, right?
22:03
So I think just telling the students like to show up, even if you don't know the class, you don't understand the assignment, you don't get what the teacher was saying, just show
22:14
up.
22:14
Come in, ask the question, be humbled, be like, hey,
22:18
Ask the person next to you, did you understand?
22:20
And they'll be like, no, I didn't understand either.
22:22
And then now you have a dialogue and now you have uh a comrade in the ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½, right?
22:29
So just show up, be consistent.
22:32
I think that's the biggest thing, because there were so many times where I didn't show up.
22:35
But the second that I logged in and I looked at the assignment, I said, well, just start writing.
22:40
You can fix it later.
22:41
I start writing and then I was like, I can do better.
22:44
I can fix this.
22:45
I'll do better.
22:46
So I think just being, just showing up.
22:48
Just show up for whatever it is, whether it's school or work.
22:53
Because the scary part is you don't know.
22:55
Like the first time you walk into somewhere new, you have no idea where you're going, right?
23:00
But as soon as you're there, now you know.
23:02
And that's over with and you're done.
23:03
And now you know where class is.
23:05
You know you have a classmate here.
23:07
You know the teacher now.
23:08
You've asked the dumb questions.
23:10
But you're present.
23:11
Just be present and just show up.
23:13
because the rest of it will follow.
23:14
And even if you stumble, just hand up and go, hey, at least I'm here.
23:19
That's all you can do.
23:20
So I would just tell all the other students when, whether they're starting, they're struggling, because even, we have a social media page as well, and students will be like,
23:29
I don't wanna, I can't do this anymore.
23:31
And I'll be like, hey, just show up.
23:32
Just, that's it.
23:34
If you just show up, be present, the rest will follow.
23:37
I promise you, it'll all work out.
23:38
uh
23:39
Beautiful.
23:40
love it.
23:41
Great advice.
23:41
Thank you.
23:42
Thank you.
23:42
And thank you again for taking the time to sit down with us.
23:45
Of course.
23:46
Of course, I appreciate this.
23:47
Thank you.
23:47
You're welcome.
23:48
That brings us to the end of this special episode on the Degrees of Success podcast here in Las Vegas, Nevada to celebrate the 2025 ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ commencement.
23:57
Don't forget to like, subscribe, and leave your comments.
23:59
And don't forget to follow UOPX on TikTok and Instagram.
24:03
I'm Jack, and we'll see you next time on Degrees of Success.
¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ UOPX Commencement
¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ hosts virtual and in-person commencement ceremonies in various locations throughout the year. Virtual ceremonies allows all students and their loved ones to participate.
¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ the Degrees of Success® Podcast
°Õ³ó±ðÌýDegrees of Success® podcast by ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ brings you inspiring stories of UOPX alumni who have transformed their careers through education. Each episode highlights personal journeys of overcoming obstacles, achieving professional milestones and using education to unlock new opportunities. Whether you’re looking for motivation, career advice or guidance on how education can propel you forward, these alumni stories offer invaluable insights to help you succeed.